Being able to convincingly play the younger version of a main character on a TV show is about more than just an uncanny resemblance and a similar hairstyle, although those two characteristics help. It’s also about being able to mimic the person’s mannerisms, facial expressions, voice inflection, and even gait.
Sometimes, an actor cast as a younger version of a character turns out to be comical or not convincing. Hilariously in Riverdale, in flashback scenes, for example, the teenage characters play the teenage versions of their parents. But in other cases, casting directors deserve an award for making fans do a double take and wonder if they are looking at the same person at different times.
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Dan Chase (The Old Man)
In this new FX series, iconic actor Jeff Bridges plays Dan Chase, a former CIA operative who has been living off the grid following a situation decades prior that put his life in danger. While he is the star of the show in the present day, the timeline also flips to the past, showing a younger 30-something-year-old Dan during pivotal moments leading to his eventual disappearance.
The young version of the character is played by Bill Heck, who wonderfully captures not only Bridges’ look with the long, slicked back hair and beard, but also the squinting eyes and tough yet confident persona. It was perfect casting for The Old Man. Interestingly, Heck also played a younger version of Jon Voight in Ray Donovan.
Sabrina (The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina)
McKenna Grace made an early career for herself playing the younger version of plenty of characters, including Theo in Haunting of Hill House (played by Kate Siegel as an adult), and Caroline in The Vampire Diaries (Candice Accola played her as a teen). In the present day, she appears on Young Sheldon as Paige Swanson and Esther Keyes in The Handmaid’s Tale. But the most perfect casting was her role as a younger version of Sabrina Spellman on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Grace’s resemblance to Kiernan Shipka, who played the title character in the present day and is one of the most powerful characters on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, is so uncanny that a quick Google search demonstrates how many people have searched to find out if they are related to one another (or the same person). It isn’t just that the pair look like they could be twins but also that Grace has similar gestures and expressions to Shipka, making her role convincing.
Teenage Kate (This Is Us)
Several actors play versions of Kate, played by Chrissy Metz as an adult, at different ages, including Isabella Rose Landau at ages 3-6 and Mackenzie Hancsicsak at ages 9-12. But it’s the actor who played the brooding teenage version of Kate on This Is Us, Hannah Zeile, who perfectly captured what Kate might have been like at the time. Not only struggling with her weight and insecurities, but she was also deeply grieving the loss of her father.
Zeile beautifully managed to play both a typical expressionless, sarcastic teenager and convince viewers that she was Kate from back in the day. Sadly, the performance didn’t help the show come awards season as This Is Us remains one of the shows that was shockingly snubbed by the 2022 Emmy nominations.
William (This Is Us)
Ron Cephas Jones had fans in tears on This is Us when he came back into Randall’s life and brought his prophetic wisdom. He did the same in the penultimate episode of the series while guiding Rebecca through her subconscious train ride.
But equally doing a great job was Jermel Nakia, who played the younger version of Jones in several episodes and flashback scenes. He had the same look, walk, and voice inflection, making fans truly believe that he was the younger William or even the same actor without the aged make-up. Even their smiles were the same.
Snow White (Once Upon A Time)
Ginnifer Goodwin has a pretty distinctive look, expressions, and mannerisms, so it might seem tough to cast a younger version of her. But Once Upon a Time pulled it off with Bailee Madison, who played her character of Snow White as a child. Snow White was one of the bravest characters in Once Upon a Time.
The faces, right down to the shapes of the eyes, mouth, and nose along with the overall head shape, are very similar. Now older at 22, Madison’s look has changed a bit: she is now often compared to both Katie Holmes and Maia Mitchell. She’ll next be seen starring in the Pretty Little Liars spin-off Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, out in late July 2022 on HBO Max.
Cassie (Euphoria)
The character of Cassie in the teen drama Euphoria is played by Sydney Sweeney as a teenager. But in flashback scenes, it’s Kyra Adler as the young woman when she was just 11 years ago. Adler appeared in four episodes of the first season.
The pair of actors have distinctive looking eyes and mouths, but it was Adler’s approach to the character that made fans believe she was Cassie when she was at her most innocent and impressionable. Interestingly, Euphoria is Adler’s only acting credit to date, but fans expect big things from the young actor based on her work.
Shirley Crain (Haunting Of Hill House)
Haunting of Hill House, one of the most exciting horror series ever made, according to Ranker, picked the right actor to play Shirley in Elizabeth Reaser, also known for roles like Esme Cullen in The Twilight Saga movies and Ava/Rebecca Pope in Grey’s Anatomy. The show did an equally good job choosing Lulu Wilson to play a younger version of her in flashbacks.
Now 16, Wilson has plenty of experience in the horror genre to pull it off, including acting in Ouija: Origin of Evil and Annabelle: Creation. She interestingly also played a teenage version of Gloria Steinem in The Glorias. From the style and type of hair to the hairline and even the sharper jawline, the look matched the acting, and Wilson pulled it off flawlessly.
Jason Gideon (Criminal Minds)
Mandy Patinkin is a tough actor to replicate, not only in his look but his very distinctive voice and the way he carries himself. But Criminal Minds hit it out of the park with the right actor to play a younger version of his character Jason Gideon in Ben Savage.
Younger brother of Fred Savage, Ben Savage didn’t play a childhood version of Gideon, but rather a version of him as a young detective just starting on the job, working in the Behavioral Analysis Unit. He copied Patinkin’s mannerisms to a tee and the facial resemblance doesn’t hurt either. The character was so compelling and dead-on that fans were calling for a prequel spinoff starring Savage.
Cece (New Girl)
Cece was played by Hannah Simone in the popular sitcom. She was always sporting her signature bangs, so it was pretty simple to cast someone as a younger version of her and simply add a wig. But the show did a bit more with the casting.
Jaidan Jiron completely embodied Simone on New Girl, right down to the pursed-lip smile and constant eye-rolls. She could easily pass as Simone’s younger sister in real life if she were in character, though seeing her in real life makes fans realize just how well she transformed her look to play the young Cece. While Jiron is an up-and-comer in the industry, she has already amassed some impressive credits playing younger versions of key characters, including Violet in Legion and Jane in The Lay of LaLa Land.
Hiram (Riverdale)
There’s a bit of a cheat with this one since the young Hiram Lodge was played by Mark Consuelos’ real-life son, Michael Consuelos. While the younger Consuelos is only just getting started with acting, having only appeared in the short film The Bensonhurst Spelling Bee in 2012 and providing voices for various kids’ shows, the resemblance to his father was too incredible to pass up for a role as the wealthiest person in Riverdale.
Given that Riverdale, as noted, has had some fun with casting younger versions of characters, and doesn’t often take itself too seriously, the casting wasn’t so much about convincing viewers as it was about being entertaining. Nonetheless, simply thanks to genetics, Michael not only looked like he could be a young Hiram but acted like him as well.